A missing person mystery took a sinister twist today when police revealed they are treating the disappearance of Kevin Palmer as murder.

The man nicknamed John Bon Jovi moved from his native North East more than 10 years ago.

He disappeared in the Hampshire area and now police have revealed the new twist in the inquiry.

Meanwhile detectives began stripping the home of a jailed drug dealer last week in the hunt for clues to his whereabouts.

A case file about Mr Palmer was passed to the Hampshire Police by North East detectives.

Today the officer in charge of the inquiry, Det Insp Alison Scott of Hampshire CID said: "We need information about the last known movements of Kevin John Palmer.

"Kevin was called John by his friends and family, and also known by the nickname of Jon Bon Jovi. He was last seen in the Bishop's Waltham area on March 13 1999.

"His disappearance was reported to police in the North East, where Mr Palmer originally came from. It was during the course of a review by the police in the North East last year that the file was referred to Hampshire.

"We now believe that something more sinister had befallen him and have launched a murder inquiry. We have not located a body, but do firmly believe he has been the victim of foul play."

Hampshire's Major Crime Unit detectives have spent all week examining the Bishop's Waltham home of convicted drug trafficker John Howett.

Forensic scientists combed the semi-detached house in Hoe Road for clues, focusing on a brick conservatory at the rear.

They also removed internal fittings from the building and a four-wheel drive car parked outside.

Mi Casa is owned by 52-year-old Howett, who was jailed for 12 years for importing 250kg of cannabis from Moroccan barons into Gibraltar.

He is serving his jail term at Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight, but since he was jailed in July 2002 his second wife Tracey - who married Howett after his conviction - has lived at the house.

However, she has not been seen at the property all week.

Items from the house by police include mattresses, a ladder and rolls of carpets.

Police also kept a 24-hour watch on the property while detectives continued their search.

Det Insp Scott added: "A 50-year-old man has been arrested and bailed on suspicion of murder.

"For operational reasons I cannot divulge any further details about this person. I appeal to the public for help in establishing exactly what happened to Kevin John Palmer."

Mr Palmer was 27 at the time he disappeared. He was married and had a child.

He was until the time of his disappearance living in Spain, where he sold timeshare apartments.

Mr Palmer returned to the UK on Friday, March 12, 1999. At some stage he travelled to Hampshire and visited the Sir Joseph Paxton pub in Hunts Pond Road, Locks Heath, and then went on to the Abshot Hotel and Country Club.

Mr Palmer was in company with a party of at least four other people, possibly more.

Police believe he got into a row and then a fight broke out. It was the last time Mr Palmer was seen alive.

Police described Mr Palmer as having a Geordie accent, 5ft 10in, of stocky build and with blue eyes. He had short-cropped fair hair.

When last seen, he was wearing dark trousers, a dark colour leather jacket and cowboy boots.

Mr Palmer had scars running from kneecap to ankle on both legs, and two large tattoos - a leaping panther on his left arm and a panther's head on his right arm.

He was also wearing a large gold necklace, very heavy in weight and would have been very distinctive.

When he arrived in the country, Mr Palmer was carrying a hard-backed plastic Delsay suitcase - which has never been traced.

* Anyone with information about Kevin John Palmer or what happened to him four years ago is urged to call the Major Incident Room at Hulse Road on 0845 045 45 45, or you can call the freephone Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.